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Fecal incontinence quality of life scale

Quality of life instrument for patients with fecal incontinence

  • Original Contributions
  • Published:
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

PURPOSE: This goal of this research was to develop and evaluate the psychometrics of a health-related quality of life scale developed to address issues related specifically to fecal incontinence, the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale. METHODS: The Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale is composed of a total of 29 items; these items form four scales: Lifestyle (10 items), Coping/Behavior (9 items), Depression/Self-Perception (7 items), and Embarrassment (3 items). RESULTS: Psychometric evaluation of these scales demonstrates that they are both reliable and valid. Each of the scales demonstrate stability over time (test/retest reliability) and have acceptable internal reliability (Cronbach alpha >0.70). Validity was assessed using discriminate and convergent techniques. Each of the four scales of the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale was capable of discriminating between patients with fecal incontinence and patients with other gastrointestinal problems. To evaluate convergent validity, the correlation of the scales in the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale with selected subscales in the SF-36 was analyzed. The scales in the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale demonstrated significant correlations with the subscales in the SF-36. CONCLUSIONS: The psychometric evaluation of the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale showed that this fecal incontinence-specific quality of life measure produces both reliable and valid measurement.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. From the Clinical Outcomes Research Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Todd H. Rockwood Ph.D. & Robert L. Kane M.D.

  2. the Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio

    James M. Church M.D.

  3. the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Barnes Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri

    James W. Fleshman M.D.

  4. the Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

    Constantinos Mavrantonis M.D.

  5. the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska

    Alan G. Thorson M.D.

  6. the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Steven D. Wexner M.D.

  7. the School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Donna Bliss RN, Ph.D.

  8. the Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Ann C. Lowry M.D.

Authors
  1. Todd H. Rockwood Ph.D.
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  2. James M. Church M.D.
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  3. James W. Fleshman M.D.
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  4. Robert L. Kane M.D.
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  5. Constantinos Mavrantonis M.D.
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  6. Alan G. Thorson M.D.
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  7. Steven D. Wexner M.D.
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  8. Donna Bliss RN, Ph.D.
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  9. Ann C. Lowry M.D.
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Additional information

Done under a contract between the University of Minnesota Clinical Outcomes Research Center and The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery and the Minnesota Colon and Rectal Foundation.

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Cite this article

Rockwood, T.H., Church, J.M., Fleshman, J.W. et al. Fecal incontinence quality of life scale. Dis Colon Rectum 43, 9–16 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02237236

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02237236

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